Why we should all be concerned about the disability employment gap
The employment rate is lower among people with a disability. The disability employment gap refers to the difference in employment rate in disabled vs non-disabled people. Many economically inactive disabled people want to work. We need to find ways to narrow the gap.
How big is the gap and how does this compare to other countries?
The UK disability employment gap is at its widest point since 2018. It began to widen at the start of the covid-19 pandemic. It was 29.8% in the UK in 2022. In 2021 it was 28.4%, compared to 23.1% in Europe.
How does this relate to the health of the population?
The number of people with long term health conditions and the number of people with disabilities continues to rise. Mental health conditions are a large contributor to this change. 22% of the working age population are classed as disabled.
How does employment relate to changes in disability status?
Health and disability status can change: data from 2014-2021 shows nearly one third of people’s status changed from disabled to non- disabled from one year to the following year.
People’s status is more likely to change from disabled to non-disabled if they are in work.
This suggests that being in work is associated with a reduction in morbidity and an improvement in function. While determining cause and effect for these flows between disability and employment status is not possible based on this correlation alone, we know that good work is good for our health and wellbeing. Work is also key to poverty reduction.
In summary, data from the ONS shows:
1. The health of the working age population is declining
2. The disability employment gap is increasing
Together these two factors will leave a larger number of people living with long term ill health and disability vulnerable to unemployment and the increasing health and social inequalities that come with it. Alongside this, labour supply will be restricted. This will have a negative impact on the UK economy and growth. The UK is expected to be the only G7 country to fall into recession this year.
Occupational health support can help people living with ill health and disability get to work and keep in work, but only around 50% of the workforce have access. Disabled people are no more likely to have access to occupational health support at work than non-disabled people. Once economically inactive, it is impossible to access occupational health support outside of the framework used to assess people for welfare benefits.
Finding a way to increase access to occupational health support to people of working age with ill health and disability, whether in work or economically active, will benefit all stakeholders. This could narrow the disability employment gap, lead to improvements in the health and function of the working age population and improve labour supply and growth.